Gabon

Middle Africa

Africa

A low-cost Central African economy with strong human-development indicators, but a weak passport (~55 destinations), limited English and a long 10-year naturalization wait.

39
Overall score
Limited · Penalty applied · 88% data coverage
Language
French
Currency
XAF
Citizenship
10 years
Personal tax
Up to 35% headline
Cost of living
Consumer price level 48 (world = 100, 2025)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown
53
Access
17%
66Residence12%
22Citizenship and passport5%
53
Earning power
25%
35Salary and work12%
69Buying power13%
36
Business and wealth
20%
30Taxes7%
40Business8%
38Investment5%
45
Daily life
25%
44Quality of life18%
47Education7%
25
Rights and institutions
13%
22Freedom6%
28Rule of law7%

Severe safety risk (39) cut the overall score from 44 to 43.

Weak rights and institutions (25) cut the overall score from 43 to 39.

Pros

  • Human development score 73/100
  • Internet use 69%
  • Relative affordability score 65/100

Cons

  • Passport mobility score 29/100
  • Tax friendliness score 30/100
  • Institutional environment score 36/100

Best for

Applicants prepared to use local languagesCost-conscious residentsPeople with a confirmed local employment or study route

Score profile

Access
Residence
66
Citizenship
18
Passport
34
Earning power
Salary & work
35
Buying power
69
Cost of living
78
Economy
65
Business and wealth
Taxes
30
Personal tax
36
Corporate tax
0
Business
40
Investment
38
Wealth building
42
Daily life
Safety
39
Healthcare
44
Environment
65
Infrastructure
49
Education
47
HDI
73
Rights and institutions
Freedom
22
Rule of law
28
How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence
Openness to residents
Good
66
Migrant stock17.7% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality-0.72 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
Employment residenceStudy residenceFamily reunificationBusiness or investment residence where eligible
StudentAdmission, proof of funds, accommodation, insurance, and immigration approval are normally required; work rights vary.
WorkA local employer, qualifying occupation, or other work authorization is normally required; labour-market tests may apply.
Self-employedBusiness registration, tax registration, and a residence or work authorization suitable for self-employment are generally required.
PermanentEligibility depends on years and continuity of lawful residence, route, income, character, and country-specific legislation.
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
Low
18
Years required10 years
Dual allowedNo
LanguageLanguage, integration, character, and documentation requirements depend on the nationality law and route.
ResidenceHeadline ordinary naturalization period: 10 years. Continuous residence and absence rules may apply.
NotesThis is a statutory headline from a sourced comparison table. Confirm the current nationality law and administrative practice before relying on it.
Passport
Passport power
Limited
34
68 / 198
Mobility
#74
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free29
  • On arrival35
  • eTA4
  • Visa required130

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Limited
35
Output per worker$72,659 PPP (2024)
Unemployment20.2% (2025)
Participation51.1% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tech salary (estimate)GNI per capita benchmark: $21,660 PPP (2025); this is not a technology salary quote.
FreelanceInternet use is 69%; remote and freelance access still depends on payments, language, regulation, and immigration status.
Job marketLatest comparable unemployment rate: 20.2%. Role-specific demand varies substantially by city and sector.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Good
69
GNI / person$21,660 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$5,774 PPP (2024)
Price level48 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality38.0 Gini (2017)
Inflation1.8% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Good
78
Price level48 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

RentModel benchmark: about $290 monthly housing share; derived from the World Bank consumer price level, not a market listing.
MonthlyModel benchmark: about $720 / month at a US$1,500 world-price baseline.
CitiesLibreville, Port-Gentil
Economy
Economic strength
Good
65
Output & income
GDP$21.4B (2025)
GDP / person$8,263 (2025)
GNI / person$21,660 PPP (2025)
GDP growth3.4% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation1.8% / yr (2025)
Unemployment20.2% (2025)
Output per worker$72,659 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture6.8% of GDP (2025)
Industry47.2% of GDP (2025)
Services42.3% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
OilManganese miningTimberAgriculture
Top exports
Crude oilManganeseTimber
TypeUpper-middle-income, oil-driven
Key sectorsOil, Manganese mining (a world leader), Timber
SummaryA sparsely populated, oil-dependent economy and a leading manganese and tropical-timber exporter.
CurrencyCentral African CFA franc (pegged to the euro)

Business and wealth

Taxes
Tax friendliness
Limited
30
Personal35, plus 5% complementary tax on salaries
Corporate30 (35% for oil & gas and mining companies)
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Exit taxNo harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules.
Foreign companiesPermanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply.
Personal tax
Personal tax
Limited
36
Personal35, plus 5% complementary tax on salaries
FreelanceFreelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration.
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Exit taxNo harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules.
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
Low
0
Corporate30 (35% for oil & gas and mining companies)
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Foreign companiesPermanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply.
Business
Business friendliness
Limited
40
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality-0.72 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness-0.57 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign companyForeign ownership is generally possible, subject to sector restrictions, licensing, local-participation rules, and beneficial-ownership checks.
Local companyLocal company forms are available; registration, tax, capital, director, address, and licensing requirements vary.
FreelanceFreelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration.
Investment
Investing environment
Limited
38
Private credit13% of GDP (2019)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsCapital-gains treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position.
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxVerify current national and subnational net-wealth, property, inheritance, and transfer taxes.
BrokersLocal and international broker access depends on residency, exchange controls, sanctions screening, and platform onboarding.
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
Limited
42
Salary & work
Limited
35
Business
Limited
40
Investment
Limited
38
Tax friendliness
Limited
30
Cost of living
Good
78

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Limited
39
Institutions & stability
Control of corruption-0.94 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability-0.28 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Limited
44
Outcomes
Life expectancy68.5 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality32.6 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians0.52 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds1.95 per 1,000 (2011)
Health spending$673 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemPublic and private provision coexist; eligibility, service quality, and capacity vary by location.
InsuranceInsurance and proof-of-cover requirements depend on immigration status, employer, and residence route.
Average costHealth expenditure: $673 PPP per person (2023).
Environment
Environment score
Good
65
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure31.3 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress0.5% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Moderate
49
Digital infrastructure
Internet use68.7% (2024)
Internet resilience47 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed59 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed56 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access94.1% (2023)
Grid losses18.9% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality2.20 / 5 (2022)
Rail density2.5 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity889 departures / million people (2016)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Moderate
47
Attainment
Expected schooling12.5 years (2023)
Mean schooling9.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment8% gross (2003)
Education spending2.3% of GDP (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

TuitionFees vary by institution, programme, level, and nationality; no harmonized official tuition series is used.
Public universityCheck current public-university fee schedules and scholarship rules directly with each institution.
LanguagesFrench
Student workStudent employment rights vary by permit and may require separate authorization or hour limits.
HDI
Human development score
Good
73
HDI0.733 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy68.3 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling12.5 years (2023)
Mean schooling9.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$18,854 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Low
22
Freedom in the World22 / 100 (Not free)
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Low
28
Rule of Law percentile28 / 100
Sources
Resources
Official references
UN Statistics: M49 country and area codesunstats.un.orgUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgPwC: Gabon corporate tax headlinetaxsummaries.pwc.comPwC: Gabon personal tax headlinetaxsummaries.pwc.comNaturalization comparison and linked nationality lawsen.wikipedia.orgHenley Passport Index 2026 summaryen.wikipedia.org
Quick links
Gabon visa & immigrationgoogle.comGabon tax residency rulesgoogle.comGabon citizenship requirementsgoogle.comCost of living in Gabongoogle.com

Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.